posted 11-09-2014 04:29 AM               

Space Cover #290: Development of the X-15 Engine

The above #10 envelope was metered at the Reaction Motors Incorporated (RMI) plant in New Jersey, just over 60 years ago, November 2, 1954. At that point in time, RMI was busy figuring out how build a rocket engine that could be throttled between 17,000 and 57,000 pound of thrust for use in a planned hypersonic rocketplane that eventually became the X-15. RMI was awarded the official contract for the X-15’s engine in early 1956. The new engine became the workhorse XLR-99 engine that powered the X-15 to all of its marvelous achievements.

This envelope was obviously used for business correspondence by RMI, who applied the very unique company meter mark to it. Unfortunately the adhesive that attached the cellophane under the address window has yellowed badly, but hey, there probably aren’t many more of these out there (I know of one other, owned by fellow SCOTW’er Stevedd841).

And speaking of Stevedd841, credit for finding this cover goes out to him. He found it, and knowing my affinity for all things X-15, made me a very good deal on it. So any kudos should go to Steve...

posted 11-10-2014 02:38 PM               

Anything from Reaction Motors Inc., cancelled at Rockaway, New Jersey, November 2, 1954, and very early for space covers, was an amazing find. I guess I would put it in the "dumb luck" category, also.

This cover additionally had a great overprint in red, "First in Rocket Power" with a rocket in flight and should have gotten everyone's attention! I found three covers all dated the same date on oversized company business envelopes in a dealer's large cover box. Hmm, where else would you find these kinds of covers?

I gave you one, Tom (also writing for SCOTW) received one, and I kept one for my X-15 cover group.